Unknown Near Eastern
Guardian Figure

Public Domain

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Artist Unknown Near Eastern

CultureAssyrian

Titles

Guardian Figure

Date883–859 BC

MediumGypsum

Dimensionsrelief: 42 1/8 × 26 × 1 1/2 inches (107 × 66 × 3.8 cm)
width of stone and attached backing material: 2 5/8 inches (6.7 cm)

130 lbs.

Credit LineMuseum purchase funded by the Agnes Cullen Arnold Endowment Fund

Object number80.53

Not on view

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Department

Antiquities

Object Type

SCULPTURE

ProvenanceFound during excavations at Nimrud, Iraq, by Sir Henry Layard, c. 1840s–1853; purchased by Dudley Francis Stuart Ryder (1831–1900), Lord Sandon, 3rd Earl of Harrowby, Sandon Hall, Linconshire, 1853–1900; by inheritance to his younger brother, Henry Ryder (1836–1900), 4th Earl of Harrowby, 1900; by inheritance to his son, John Herbert Ryder (1864–1956), 5th Earl of Harrowby, 1900–1956; by inheritance to his son, Dudley Ryder (1892–1987), 6th Earl of Harrowby, 1956–1980; sold through [Robin Symes, Limited, London, 1980]; purchase by MFAH, 1980.
Exhibition History

Inscriptions, Signatures and Marks

The inscription at the top of this panel is one which occurs repeatedly on the panels of the palace of Assurnasirpal II, proclaiming him as the Great King, ruler of the World:
"I placed doors of cedar, cypress, dapranu and meskannu in its doorways. I took in great quantities of put therein silver, gold, tin, bronze, iron and booty from the countries over which I gained dominion." (translation by Andre F. Conradie)

Cataloguing data may change with further research.

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